Forever Silence
by Ria D'Arcy
Summary: A girl with a broken past finds the Pet shop and meets Count D. Will she find a pet to help her regain her voice? Or will she be a mute forever? And will she be able to live with what she's done? *I do not own any characters from PSOH, I simply enjoy the series* May or may not be continued in future. Rated solely for author's language and occasionally when Leon shows up. Maybe DxOC
1. Forever Silence

I looked down to the man beneath my feet. I stood above him, gun pointing at his head and my finger on the trigger. I expected to see his eyes burning in betrayal, in pain, in anger, in sorrow, and in fear. But they weren't. His green eyes were clear of any dark emotions, the only thing I saw were his tears. Tears that this was not how he wanted life to be. He thought he had failed me, forced me to become what I was.

I'm sure my green eyes mirrored his. Just as how our blonde hair was the same shade, and disheveled from the fight. I wanted to say I regretted this, to pull my hand away and toss the gun aside. To pretend that the past had never happened, to make another choice somewhere before and avoid all this.

The small kitchen table was lying on its side, and the two chairs were knocked across the room. The kitchen itself was a mess, dishes were lying in the sink, and empty bottles were cluttering up the counter. Everything was strewn across the floor; I wasn't sure the last time anything had been cleaned. This place looked nearly identical to when I left a year ago. Only the number of bottles was different, there were more.

Still looking into his eyes, I felt something trail down my left cheek. I lifted my hand and it came away wet. _Was I crying_? Why was I crying? This man deserved no sympathy from me; he was earning his just reward. Yet a small part of me was hesitating. That part was the scared little child he had crafted and manipulated, the little girl who had been beaten every time he stumbled home drunk. The girl who had to look after him and clean up his vomit night after night, attending classes during the day where she had to pretend everything was perfect at home.

I remembered all the times I had to skip school and stay home to hide my bruises and black eyes. To keep my friends at a distance so they didn't ask to come to my house after school to play with dolls and watch tv.

I was the one to care for my brother while he lay dying in his bed because this man didn't bring home enough so I could take him to the hospital, if we were lucky he came home with anything at all. I was the last one to hold his hand, to whisper his favourite bedtime story as he closed his eyes that final time. And I was the only one to shed tears of grief as his small body was lowered into the ground. After his death I had stopped talking.

My grip tightened ever so slightly, my knuckles were turning white. I steadied myself with a deep indrawn breath, holding it to me like a child clutches their favourite toy in sleep. I narrowed my eyes and felt myself disconnect to what was happening. To any onlooker I was sure they saw my eyes lose their light, becoming the eyes of the dead, for that's what I was – a living corpse.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but he had no chance. I didn't want to hear his voice, his excuses or his reasons. I simply wanted him to disappear from my memories. To erase and forget everything that had happened since my mother left me in his care when I was five years old and my brother an infant.

I pulled the trigger and felt the recoil in my hand. The sound of the bullet firing rang in my ears. I didn't even flinch when the blood splattered upward and across my face and the rest of my body. It felt warm. I didn't dwell any longer here. I let the gun drop from my now slack grip and heard the dull thud it made against the floor.

I turned away from the corpse, ignoring the blood and brains that spread thickly across the carpeted floor. I walked stiffly, feeling more hollow than before. There was no reason for me to stay here. I could go where ever I wanted. I was free.

So, why did I feel like just curling into a ball and falling asleep? Escaping into the world of dreams like my brother had done.

As I passed over the threshold of the house of my past one final time, I never looked behind me as I closed the door, just heard the soft click of the latch. I walked away, placing my hands in my pockets, and simply headed down the street. It was night, and the road was deserted, so no one stared at the girl spattered in fresh crimson blood.

I didn't know where I was heading, how long it would take, or how I would get there. I simply walked with my head down and my shoulders hunched. I failed to notice the wind. I failed to notice the flickering street light. And I failed to notice the goat with horns that was sitting in the shadows of the front lawn, drawn close by the smell of freshly killed meat.

XXXXXXXXX

"Tsk, tsk." The soft tutter roused me instantly from my drowsing. I hadn't walked far last night before I curled up on some stairs in the middle of Chinatown. It had seemed like a deserted store front, a safe place to sleep for a few hours. But now I looked up into the face of a Chinese man with oddly colored eyes, short raven black-blue hair to his chin, and wearing something similar to a Japanese kimono but not quite. "Why don't you come inside for some tea? And maybe a wet cloth to wash the blood off, the smell as been upsetting my animals all morning."

He gave me a smile that purely spoke of a professional businessman and led me inside. I would have bolted if not for the stiffness in my muscles from curling up against the cold last night. There was also no reason for me to run, where would I go anyways?

I refused to allow my mind to dwell on last night. It had been a long time coming, and we had both known it. I was still wondering if it had been a dream and I may still awake to find his eyes glaring into mine as he drunkenly beat me until he passed out or I did.

I nearly tripped over myself as I looked around. The place was bigger than I had thought. The front room was arranged with a couch and a couple of chairs around an oval shaped tea table. The air was thick with the smell of some kind of incense, which helped to relax my body the further I wandered in. It was also darker than I would have imagined. Small cages and tapestries lined the walls, animals roved around freely, and eyes stared at me from where ever I looked. And when I strained my ears I swore I could hear many people muttering and laughing in the back rooms. Just how big _was_ this pet shop? I was beginning to wonder if it truly was a pet shop at all.

"Please have a seat while I prepare the tea. I assure you the animals won't bite unless you bite them first." He gave me a smirk this time as he left through a door I had failed to notice in my first look around. I was awe struck. Could this place really exist? And in Chinatown no less!

I looked to the couch and gulped. Lying easily on one of the pillows was some kind of goat-thing with horns and what looked to be tiger paws. It snarled at me and I gulped again. The Chinese man had said nothing would bite me if I didn't bite first, but suddenly I wasn't so sure. This… thing… didn't seem too friendly. Before I could do anything more though it jumped off the couch, suddenly the door banged open behind me, causing me to spin around.

"Hey! D!" A tall blonde man burst through the door wearing a pair of jeans and a somewhat ratty t-shirt. He had a gun in a shoulder holster and a police badge clipped to his belt. The goat-thing from the couch had run towards him and was gnawing on one of his legs. "Dammit T-chan! Stop trying to eat me!" He yelled and roughly shook the animal off.

"My dear detective, must you always enter so noisily? A nice quite knock once in a while may prove less, painful, then entering this way." The Chinese man, D, said in an overly dramatic tone while his lips twitched up. He seemed to enjoy whatever was happening.

Before the blonde man could look up and see me, D maneuvered himself so as to block my appearance. I wasn't sure why, until I remembered his comment about the blood. I was still covered in it from last night; being seen by a policeman now would be… I frowned. Would it be bad if I was caught with my father's, now cold, blood on my hands? I didn't know, but for some reason this guy D didn't want me to be seen.

Standing behind the man I saw the small gesture he made behind his back. I didn't understand it until I felt something tug on my pant leg. It seemed to be a small raccoon. It chittered at me and continued to pull. D was saying something to distract the detective again and I took it as my cue to leave. So I followed the raccoon into another door I had failed to notice.

This one lead to a long hallway with many other doors, and the voices I had heard earlier were even louder in my ears. I looked around for the raccoon and instead found a little blonde curly-haired girl in a fluffy pink dress.

"Follow me." She tugged insistently at my pant leg when I hesitated. In the end what else could I do? The detective and D were blocking the front exit, I had no clue if there was a back exit, and I had no idea how big this pet shop was. I took the girl's hand and let her lead me through the twisting hallway.

"My name's Pon-chan, what's yours?" She asked once we had found an empty room and I had been forced to sit in a high backed chair. She was sitting on the matching ottoman with a bowl of lukewarm, pinkish water set on her lap. There was nothing we could do about my clothes at the moment but having a clean face and hands made me feel good.

I stared at her, just realizing she was expecting me to speak. I looked around for something to write on, but of course there was nothing.

"Don't you speak?" She asked when I simply looked at her. I shook my head 'no' and that made her laugh. I gave her a questioning look. "There was this boy who used to come play with us a lot, his name was Chris, he looked like the blonde man only smaller, and he didn't talk either."

I opened my mouth into a small circle, effectively saying 'oh'. Then I looked around some before raising my hands, palms up. 'Where is he?' I was saying.

"He went to live with his aunt and uncle after he learned to talk again. I've been lonely without him, so has Leon and Count D." Pon-chan looked about ready to cry, sniffing and rubbing at her nose. For some reason I opened my arms wide and she flew into them, leaving the bowl of water to clatter noisily to the floor.

I stroked her hair as she tried her hardest not to cry but still a few tears leaked through. It was only a couple of minutes before she pulled back, scrubbing at her cheeks to get rid of the tear streaks.

"I'm… hiccup… sorry." I merely petted her head in an 'It's okay' gesture. She looked at me with her wide eyes unblinkingly before stating, "You're really nice you know, even if you don't seem like it at first."

I didn't know if she was being serious, or trying to be funny. Either way my shoulders shook lightly in a motion similar to laughing. I hadn't laughed in years. I was surprised I even knew what laughter still was.

"I'm gonna get something to clean up this mess." She frowned down at the water, like it was supposed to know it shouldn't be on the floor, "I'll be back." Without another word she jumped off my lap, her Victorian-esk dress swishing easily about her ankles. I simply watched as she ran from the room, leaving the door open and letting me here muted conversations. I couldn't make out any of the words, but I really didn't want to. I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes.

XXXXXXXXX

_I felt my hand grip the gun tighter, my knuckles were turning white… I felt the recoil… But suddenly I looked down and it was not my father who was lying crimson beneath my feet… It was my brother…_

I bolted upright, and since I had forgotten I was in a chair this caused me to lean forward so I was practically kissing my knees, gasping for air. I wanted to scream in terror, but my throat had seized up. I clutched it, trying to calm myself, but I was panicking. How could it have been my brother?

A gentle hand on my shoulder had me leaping from the chair and landing ungracefully on my ass, staring up at the man who was called D. He looked down at me with an expression warring between worry and amusement. Worry won.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you, but you seemed to be having a bad dream." I snorted at the understatement, my heart finally settling into a normal beat again. "The detective has left, would you still like that tea?"

I nodded my head, and accepted his hand. As he pulled me up I saw his nails were long but manicured to perfection, his hands were also very smooth. Was he really a man? Following that thought was my brain instantly comparing his hand to mine. Even after having them cleaned the nails were ragged from my biting and they were covered in scratches and scars. I had never had a manicure before, but imagined it would feel lovely to be able to have nails that didn't look like they belonged to a sailor.

As I settled onto the couch, this time without the goat-thing, I was handed a cup of tea in a cup that felt like it was made of nothing more than whisper thin paper. I handled it carefully, not wanting to let go of the warmth but worried about cracking something so delicate and beautiful.

I gingerly took a sip, noted it was much too sweet and simply held it. All the while watching D across from me, and he in turn was watching me. The silence between us was more of a companion, and was broken occasionally by the loud chitter of a bird in a cage or ruckus from the back of the shop. My eyes were just beginning to grow heavy again when D set his tea cup down with a light click and folded his hands in his lap, looking at me with curiosity.

"My name is Count D. I run this pet shop in my grandfather's absence while he is out searching for new pets. Did you come here looking for a new companion Miss…?" He looked confused, followed by slight embarrassment as he realized we had never exchanged names.

I looked sullenly into my cup of tea, saying nothing, and knowing he would eventually come to the same conclusion as everyone else. I was mute. And to most people, mute equaled stupid. But I still couldn't help but think of my name.

'Nyein.'

"Ah, _quiet one_, an appropriate name for you." He smiled as my head whipped up. How could he have known? I didn't speak, but he had seemed to read my thoughts. "So, are you looking for a companion Miss Nyein?"

XXX

_A/N: This is my first attempt at writing PSOH – I love the series! – so I hope I didn't screw it up for other fans. I am a complete review junkie so please comment! I will try to continue this story but I am also writing another fanfic at the same time (stupid brain doesn't like sticking to one story at a time)…_

_Brain: I heard that! *smacks skull*_

_A/N: This ain't the first time I've complained to you so can it! *brain shuts up* Any who~ If you have any ideas on where this story can go, or if you really have a character you want me to put in pm me the details and I will try my best to make it work. (Sometimes reviews are brilliant inspiration!)_

_Till next time! *waves*_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Hey! Look-y who's back! I don't know how well this chapter is going to work out, I'm writing this simply because I feel like I have neglected it for so long and I feel bad about it. I like Nyein._

_Nyein: *blushes*_

_A/N: Oops, I forgot you were shy. Maybe throughout the story you'll get bolder. Oh, __**warning**__ now: If this becomes AU or OOC at any point in the story, please feel free to point it out for me. Unless of course you like the changes I make…_

_Also, I don't really know if I want it to be DXOC… It could just be PSOH or (since I write these things a chapter at a time [like with __**Hollow Target**__]) it could turn around and become T-chanXOC. I see him making a lot of appearances for some reason or another._

_On with the chapter! I don't own any Petshop of Horrors characters!_

_Pstscrpt: Nyein will always speak with 'single quotations' and everyone else speaks with the normal "double quotations"._

XXX

_**Previously:**_

"_My name is Count D. I run this pet shop in my grandfather's absence while he is out searching for new pets. Did you come here looking for a new companion Miss…?" He looked confused, followed by slight embarrassment as he realized we had never exchanged names._

_I looked sullenly into my cup of tea, saying nothing, and knowing he would eventually come to the same conclusion as everyone else. I was mute. And to most people, mute equaled stupid. But I still couldn't help but think of my name._

'_Nyein.'_

"_Ah, _quietone_, an appropriate name for you." He smiled as my head whipped up. How could he have known? I didn't speak, but he had seemed to read my thoughts. "So, are you looking for a companion Miss Nyein?"_

I blinked. I couldn't do anything else. How did he guess my name? There was no way in the seven realms of hell he could _READ MINDS?!_

"Please refrain from shouting, it taxes on the eardrums." Count D spoke softly, hands still folded in his lap. He hadn't moved, and neither had I. How did he do it?

"So are you here looking for a pet Miss Nyein? A friend? A lover? Someone you could care for?" His dark plum colored lips lifted in the corners as he took a pause. "Or, perhaps, you are looking for someone who will erase your past. Who will protect you in the world, and care for you in ways you have never known before."

WOAH! What? What does he know? How can he say something like this? How can he pretend to guess my thoughts? Was I giving something away? Had he done a background check on me while I was sleeping or something?

How long had I been sleeping? What time was it? I had to leave! I just had to get out of here. This place wasn't right… It just… wasn't… right…

So why was my heart rate calm? Why did I feel safe – protected? – while I was here?

I drew in a breath, ready to scream, when I caught the faint aroma of the incense I had noticed when I first came through. It was so subtle, I hadn't realized it was still burning somewhere. And as I continued to think about it, this place didn't smell like animals at all, not like a normal pet shop. In fact I had only seen that raccoon… and that tiger-goat thing. Was that even considered an animal? It couldn't be, could it?

_Growl…_ I turned my head, slowly, to see the aforementioned animal? prowl lazily into the large room. He walked to where the count sat, rubbed against his leg, than laid down without a glance towards me.

"T-chan, don't be rude. Say hello to Miss Nyein. She's a valuable customer." I watched as the thing gave Count D a glare before huffing softly and slowly getting to his feet. I pulled my feet onto the sofa as he came closer, remembering the gleaming teeth I had spied earlier in the day.

A step or two away from the sofa he stopped, tilted his head sideways and just looked at me. My hands were beginning to shake but I was too afraid to lean forward and place the cup on the table.

'Nice goat-thingy.' I thought with a slight stutter. 'Please don't eat me.'

"Miss Nyein," the count chastised smoothly, "T-chan will not eat you. He does not like the taste of living flesh."

'Sure, that makes me feel _loads_ better.' I rolled my eyes. How was that supposed to make things okay? I'm sure that thing would be able to kill me dead before it ate me.

"Then how are you able to sit calmly next to him?"

'What!?' I looked down between my knees to see T-chan sitting calmly, head still tilted to one side. 'Ah!'

When T-chan didn't move again I started to calm down. Alright, maybe this dude's telling the truth. He doesn't _seem_ eager to eat me. With some hesitancy I lowered my feet and he hopped onto the couch.

'If I pet you, you won't bite off my hand will you?' He shook his head and I took that as my answer. Still cautious I replaced the cup to the table and reached for T-chan's head. It was silky, softer than anything I had felt before. A little gasp escaped my lips as I saw he had horns in such a beautiful color!

D lifted his teacup to his lips and took a delicate sip, a half smile / half smirk peaking over the rim.

_They're getting along rather well. It's rare for T-chan to become so attached to someone so quickly. Maybe it's because Nyein reminds him of Chris, he _has_ been out of sorts since he left us._

My eyes were half hooded as I watched the totetsu lean into the girl, almost purring. I watched them closely, wondering if maybe this girl was the one who would take him home. Would it work? Or would she be like all the rest? But this girl, she felt different.

Her thoughts were easily read, but her feelings seemed muddled. Hidden. Locked deeply away. Many people were like this when they had experienced something traumatic. Even then it was little effort for me to see through their barriers. Nyein was different; I would have to delve deeply if I wanted answers.

For now, I was content to simply watch this scene play out as it must.

'Count?'

"Yes Nyein?"

'Could I trouble you… for a… bath?' She squirmed, fiddling with the frayed hem of her shirt. I frowned and realized she was still speckled with blood. I would have to find her something more suitable if she was going to be around for some time.

"Of course my dear." I walked to her side and extended a hand to help her up. "T-chan please watch the shop. Oh, and don't eat the detective if he appears." I shooed Nyein towards the back hallway before taking the lead.

I led her to a spacious ceramic tiled bathroom that was gleaming white. The white marble bathtub was deep and I turned the tap to fill it with steaming water. With a moment's contemplation I began sprinkling some lavender leaves in, which gave off a lovely fragrance.

"Take as long as you like." I closed the door and took a moment to think of a plan.

She could not stay in the shop so long as she was coated in blood. The carnivores would have a hay day, and they were already testy with the turning of the seasons. They were eager for spring to arrive and formally stay.

I sighed, coming back around to the issue of clothing. She was almost half a foot too short to fit into my c_hangshans, and she would not be familiar on how to wear one. Nor was I much inclined to allow her to wear one, the silk would stain too easily. I shuddered._

_I raised a finger to my lips and tapped. Once… Twice… Thrice…_

_The whispering sound of air being pushed by an opening door distracted me from my thoughts. I looked up to see Pon-chan standing with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face._

_"Count!" Pon-chan rushed forward and paused at my feet, her dress swishing about her ankles._

_"Yes Pon-chan?"_

_"Look!" She produced a square white box, the kind you get when purchasing new clothing, and lifted the lid. Inside was a folded shimmering gold shirt. I lifted it up and saw a pair of plain blue jeans underneath._

_"Where did you find these?"_

_"I went to the snakes for the top but thought better to find something else for the bottoms. They offered __leather__ pants." Giving a delicate sniff she continued, "So I went to the housecats and __voila__! The perfect pair of pants!"_

_"Thank you Pon-chan. Why don't you bring them to her?" I suggested just as I heard the front door open. Leaving Pon-chan, I hurried through the hallways to attend to the customer. All the while I still pondered on the earlier scene between the human girl and the totestu._

_XXX_

_A/N: Let's leave the story here and hopefully I will come back to it again. Nyein is really starting to make a place in my heart._

_Nyein: *blushes*_

_A/N: Don't you dare turn into Illumi! *points at Nyein* Say something._

_Nyein: I… I like Ria too._

_A/N: Yay!_

_D : *quietly sips tea*_

_A/N: *groan* D, don't do this to me! I want to finish this story._

_D : Don't forget to ask for reviews Ria *smirk*_

_A/N: *facepalm*_

_Pstscrpt: I looked online and found that __**changshan **__is the common reference for a __**cheongsam**__ meant for males. So for this story, I will be using __**changshan**__ instead of __**cheongsam**__ like so many other people use. Don't like it, don't read._


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Another chapter, but this one comes with a __**warning**__ of strong language. If you are easily offended by words then I suggest you skip this chapter. Also I don't claim any ownership of PSOH (wish I was that awesome, but I ain't)._

_Please review after reading, I really want to know what the readers think._

XXX

I kept my back to the door until the final click and I was alone. Steam was already fogging the mirror, hazing out my reflection.

I blinked away the moisture in my eyes as I moved robotically and shut off the tap before the water overflowed.

I grabbed the hem of my shirt and lifted it over my head, tossing it into some random corner. It almost felt like too much effort to undress, but it would be pointless taking a bath in my clothes.

_Or wou-_

The door opened and I froze in the middle of unzipping my jeans.

"Oops!" The little girl's voice from earlier rang out in the quiet room. I slowly looked over my shoulder, giving her a confused look. I wasn't sure what else I could do, I was half naked. She took a moment to reply. "I brought you some clothes."

I noticed she was pointedly avoiding looking at my back. She probably didn't know what to say. I watched like a statue as the girl placed a clothing box on the counter and left, saying nothing more than necessary.

I continued looking at the door, then towards the mirror. Wiping some of the steam away I could make out my back. The coloring was coming through, bruise on top of bruise.

_Maybe I should bathe with my clothes on…_ But I just sighed and continued to undress. I couldn't stay in those clothes forever, the hot water would help, and I would have to examine myself eventually.

I lowered myself into the tub, wincing as the hot water washed over my legs. I was covered in so many bruises I would be lucky to be able to move tomorrow. Today had been hard enough.

XXXXXXXXX

"You stupid mute!" I was backhanded across the face, my feet staggering before I crumpled against the hard flooring. I didn't dare look up. That didn't stop Caine from hauling me up by my throat. My feet dangled inches off the ground because of the height difference. I tried pulling at his hand, needing air. I heard the disgust as he tossed me across the room and into the table.

My mouth opened, but the impact had left me breathless. I couldn't even think of trying to stand up, which only irked Caine's anger more.

"One simple fuckin' thing is all I asked of you Mute! One goddamn _simple_ thing! Do you remember what that is? Huh?" Caine grabbed my wrist and wrenched me to my feet. My head reeled as he backhanded me again. My body twirled. I landed on my knees just as his foot connected with my hip. I buckled to my stomach, fists clenched as he repeatedly kicked me.

"One thing!" Kick. "That's it!" Kick. "I thought you could count cunt!" Kick.

I wanted to curl into a ball, to just block all this out. But I couldn't. No matter how many beatings I received from him I could never ignore the pain. Or the words.

"One fuckin' guy a night! How do you screw that up? I got girls able to bring in three or five easier then you can get one!"

He kicked me hard in the side, rolling me onto my back. I watched as he placed his boot on my chest and pressed down, forcing the air from my lungs.

"Well mute? What's your excuse? Ain't puttin' out enough? Do I gotta send you out buck naked before you can draw the eye?"

My eyes opened wider as he grabbed my hair and angled my face to his, just mere breaths apart. His eyes were dark, so was his hair. He was one of the most hateful men I had ever encountered, but he was still better than my father at his best.

If I didn't "bring in a guy" and make a few bucks each night, the worst I got was a beating. Nothing more than bruises, anything more would stop me from working.

He never beat me with bottles. He didn't cut me with broken glass. He didn't burn me with cigarettes or lighters.

"You better bring in two guys tomorrow or I'll make sure you fuck five guys a night. And it won't be nice guys either. I know a dozen sleazebags who wouldn't mind fuckin' a little girl like you. Now get outta my sight."

I scampered off like the scared little pup I was. When I got back to the "room" I shared with half a dozen _other girls I saw Teresa sitting atop her sleeping bag._

"Oh my goodness." She pulled me down to her level and lifted the back of my shirt. I liked Teresa. She was older than me but acted more like an older sister opposed to all the others who pretended to be my mothers. "Aw babydoll. This is bad. What did you do to make him so mad?"

I winced against the cold fingertips as she traced the lumps I probably already had.

"You didn't meet quota again huh? Poor babydoll." Teresa began to hum a familiar lullaby, the one she had hummed to me the first night I had been raped by a customer, as she lightly traced soothing patterns across my back. Her cold fingers felt _really_ good.

XXXXXXXXX

I pulled my mind away from the past; that was long done. That was my life four months ago. I was done with just trying to survive. I actually wanted a _life_.

And for that I had needed a clean slate. So I ran away from Caine, using the money I had stolen from him to come back "home".

I had had no hope of coming back and seeing a changed man who would welcome me with open arms. He had actually surprised me by still being alive. I had thought he would have drunk himself to death by now.

But I had gotten the gun as insurance. I wanted to make sure he was dead and gone, unable to haunt me forever.

I forced my body from the lukewarm water and gently toweled myself off. I pulled the top out of the box and saw that it was nothing more than a tank top, with almost no back.

It was also one of those fashionable layered tanks that looked neat but are itchy as all get out.

But it was either that, a bath towel, or my bloody clothes.

_At least the little girl had remembered to find me a bra…_

XXX

_A/N: Yes it's a short chapter, but I kinda have an idea on it now. And Leon will probably be showing up again soon, he __**is**__ a cop after all. Also there will be more chapters like this in the future; I have a feeling she is gonna have a really rough childhood. Nyein is only what… sixteen I think._

_Nyein: …*mumbles*_

_A/N: What did you say?_

_Nyein: …I just turned… sixteen… in May…_

_A/N: Really? _

_Nyein: *nods* May 9__th__._

_A/N: Happy belated b-day then. Till next time readers! I gotta go get this girl some booze to celebrate… (Underage drinking is __**BAD!**__)_


	4. Varela

_A/N: So I'm back with this story. This (I'm hoping) will be a D and Leon chapter – Nyein is slightly MIA at the moment. Then again, so are half of my characters. I can't seem to focus on a single story because NO ONE IS SAYING HI! *mumbles*_

_Nyein: I think she's close to snapping again._

_D : Hmm… *taps nail against lips* Maybe I should look for a tea that will help her sleep?_

_Nyein: It'll have to be a pretty **strong** tea._

_D : *looks at Ria*_

_A/N: *still mumbling and clutching head*_

_D : I'm not sure I will be able to find one strong enough._

_A/N: Please stop talking like I'm not here. I'm not that insane yet that I can't hear you._

_Nyein: We're fictional characters, who you're conversing with._

_A/N: Above statement retracted. Bring out the straitjacket._

_D : *amused smirk*_

XXX

"So… Count." The totetsu called lazily from his place on the couch. He was leaning back, his upper torso bare except for a short vest opened at the front. He had one knee bent, arms holding it against his chest, while the other dangled over the edge of the cushion. He leaned his head against the back, faded red hair falling away from the two horns atop his head, and a curious look on his face. To anyone but the count it would have appeared closer to a smirk.

"Yes T-chan?" D stood behind the totetsu, one long fingernailed hand lightly grasping the material beside his head. He was wearing his usual changshan, black with a light plum floral pattern. His raven hair still covered the single golden eye leaving the violet uncovered, and the same smile he always wore around his animals.

But he was distracted, thinking about the girl. Pon-chan had told him about the bruises on her back, _fresh_ bruises. Now, Count D wasn't much for human sympathy, he much preferred to keep company with his pets and animals than humans, but he had a soft spot for a few of them.

Leon Orcot being one, the Kami unsure of why precisely, and his little brother, Chris, all his animals had a soft spot for Chris. Chris had been mute as well. Perhaps that was why the Kami was taking such an interest in the girl. However, D didn't think it would be so easy to get her to talk like Chris had eventually done.

And as soon as Chris had regained his voice he returned to being a normal boy. A boy who couldn't see the animals in their human forms. He returned to living with his aunt and uncle and his cousins.

Leaving the pet shop, and Leon.

However, the girl was not in a similar situation as the Orcot's. D was sure of that. For one, she didn't seem to be able to see the pets in their human forms.

"Count? You listening?" T-chan asked, realizing that the Kami's eyes were slightly glazed and he hadn't responded to anything the totetsu said.

"I'm sorry." The count looked down and refocused on what the totetsu was repeating.

"I asked how long the girl was going to stay here. She doesn't seem to have anywhere to go."

"You're right, but there isn't much room for a human to stay."

"Why don't you let her sleep in Chris's room? No one else has claimed it."

"I think you're assuming she wishes to stay. What if Nyein wants to leave?" T-chan gave D a look that said more than he could ever express, because he knew the count and knew he would never let a girl like Nyein go when she could be a potential customer. She wouldn't still be here if she wasn't going to find her perfect pet and form a contract. D let out a sigh, wondering why he had tried to "pull the wool over his eyes" as the humans would say.

"I will ask her, and the choice will be hers. You may as well prepare Chris's old room just in case, the sky's know what amount of dust could have collected in there by now." The totetsu grumbled before slowly heading towards the backrooms, hoping he would run into Pon-chan on the way. She would help him.

Count D continued to stand in the sitting area of the shop, moving routinely only when the old coo-coo-clock on the wall chimed out the hour. It was six o'clock, and Leon would be stopping by after work for a cup of tea shortly.

D was right, just as he was pouring the detective's cup Leon banged open the shop's door and strolled in. A little _too_ casually for D's liking, but he refrained from mentioning anything. His little brother had practically lived here before moving away, so Leon was quite comfortable here. He still came most mornings for breakfast before stopping by after work. And, of course, during work when the detective wanted information he was sure D had.

"Hey D." The blonde haired man greeted once he was seated in his usual spot on the couch opposite D's favorite seat.

"Good afternoon Detective." D replied as he set down Leon's tea cup, only one spoon of sugar to suit the man's taste. D mixed his normal ten spoonfuls into his cup before sitting, glancing at the detective over the rim.

Leon was silent, a rare occurrence for the man who reminded D so much of a proud lion.

"Is something the matter with work my dear Detective?" The count asked simply to break the abnormal silence. Whenever Leon was silent it was due to some case he was currently working on, but those kinds of cases usual involved Leon accusing D of selling some type of illegal, or dangerous pet to an unsuspecting person. And that person would find themselves dead.

Leon was unable to prove D was responsible for the murders simply because whenever a pet was purchased from the shop a contract was signed and stated that the shop was not liable for the consequences should the terms of the contract be broken.

All very nice, all very legal, and all very irking for the detective. Leon was sure D was the culprit, but he had no way of proving it. And D, of course, knew this.

Leon sighed before leaning back, arms spread across the top of the couch, head tilted back, and one ankle balancing on the other knee.

"Yeah, it's this new homicide. A guy around thirty-five was shot with a nine mil gun in his own living room. Scene looked like a robbery gone wrong and the perps panicked. Even left the gun behind."

"Would you not be able to pull fingerprints if the gun was left at the scene?" D asked, wondering why the detective hadn't used that simple logic.

"See, that's just it. We pulled a single goddamn print from the grip. _One print_. And you know who the system matched it too? His _daughter_. Who's been filed as a missing person since she was fifteen, that's over a year ago D. She's been missing for months and suddenly when we get a lead on her it's because her old man winds up dead with her print on the weapon that shot him point blank. There's not another trace of her. She's smoke in the wind." Leon blew out a breath and picked up his tea cup, needing to relax. But he couldn't understand it. All the evidence pointed to the daughter being the culprit. But how did a fifteen, now sixteen, year old kid get her hands on a gun? And, what was really bothering Leon, was how could she pull the trigger on her old man?

D was quiet. And Leon didn't like it when D was quiet. It usually meant he was up to something or knew something that he didn't.

"Come on, talk to me D. Whadda ya know about this case?"

"I'm afraid I don't know a thing detective."

"You're lying D." Leon stated before standing up and pulling open the front door. He knew D wouldn't tell him. They've been through this scenario every time Leon points the blame on the pet shop owner. D keeps his lip closed. But the detective threw out over his shoulder, "Keep your eyes open for a young girl with blonde hair and green eyes. Her name's Nyein Varela."

_XXX_

_A/N: Okay this chapter doesn't do much for the plot, but I don't count it as fluff either. I mean, D had to find out some way right? Plus I wanted to bring Leon back in. You can't have a murder without the cop showing up to his favourite information bookie, who just so happens to be D._

_The next installment of this story will be… No clue. I'm going to try and finish my other half finished chapters for my other fics and maybe try to alternate weekly to update all three of them. Just don't hold your breath. _

_Reviews are always nice._


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